If we love something similar to ourselves, we endeavor, as far as we can, to bring it about that it should love us in return.

The highest endeavor of the mind, and the highest virtue, it to understand things by intuition.

Those who are believed to be most abject and humble are usually most ambitious and envious.

The supreme mystery of despotism, its prop and stay, is to keep men in a state of deception, and with the specious title of religion to cloak the fear by which they must be held in check, so that they will fight for their servitude as if for salvation.

Only free men are thoroughly grateful one to another.

Better that right counsels be known to enemies than that the evil secrets of tyrants should be concealed from the citizens. They who can treat secretly of the affairs of a nation have it absolutely under their authority; and as they plot against the enemy in time of war, so do they against the citizens in time of peace.

Whatsoever is, is in God.